Several thousand independent thinkers will gather in July at the annual FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas to discuss new ideas in science, technology, history, politics, health, well-being, art, literature, economics and finance. The theme is timely and topical: Discover the New American Dream.

Much has been written recently about the death of the American Dream. The collapse several years ago of the real estate market, followed by a deep recession, a struggling job market and the rising cost of college tuition have caused many to wonder: Is the American Dream still viable? Can it be restored? These are the questions we will seek to answer at FreedomFest.

For more than a century, the American Dream was characterized as including a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, two cars in the garage, 2.5 children, a faithful dog – and a chicken in every pot. The twin equalizers of democracy and laissez faire promised social mobility, financial security, judicial equality and prosperity through hard work. Next door to that house in the suburbs lived the Joneses, and keeping up with them was part of the dream, too. Bolstering the dream was an underlying belief that hard work pays off and that the next generation will have a better life.

Today’s dreamer, however, keeps the dog on the bed, not in the yard, and having children is likely to be delayed into the mid-30s, if they come at all. Bicycles stand next to the hybrid or all-electric car in the garage, and the house is controlled remotely by smartphones. The chicken in that pot must be free-range, antibiotic-free and served with locally sourced vegetables.

Unlike the Joneses next door, the new dreamers are less materialistic and more likely to be getting rid of stuff than accumulating it. Bigger is no longer considered better, and tiny houses are the latest fad. The new dreamers eschew self-interest and care about connectedness and global awareness. Buzz words like “sustainability,” “social responsibility” and “green” drive their dream. They want to live in downtown urban areas and prefer apartments or multifamily dwellings where they can share amenities and reduce their carbon footprint.

Even this smaller, more earth-friendly dream seems remote to many, however. The new dreamer no longer believes that hard work automatically pays off and worries that, for the first time in our history, the next generation will not be better off than its parents. In fact, according to columnist Adam Levin, being debt-free is a key factor in the new American Dream. According to his study, only 18.2 percent of Americans today see homeownership as part of the American dream, while 27.9 percent cite having enough money to retire at 65 as their goal and 23 percent of young people today simply dream of being debt-free. This is not surprising, when the average student leaves college saddled with more than $30,000 in student loans. Debt is a prison they dream of escaping.

Throughout the 20th century, homeownership was encouraged as a way to stabilize and improve communities, because people who own their homes are more likely to stay put, take care of their property, get involved in local politics and remain employed. Millennials, however, avoid homeownership for those very reasons. They don’t want to “stay put” but value spontaneity, mobility and the freedom to accept unexpected opportunities without having to worry about selling a house. Homeownership has, in fact, been declining since 2004.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that today’s generation is lazy, however. Most of them work hard, but they work at doing things they love. Many are turning from corporate America to entrepreneurial America and rely more on developing a horizontal social network than on climbing a vertical corporate ladder. And, while it is fashionable to hate capitalism, many are capitalists by default, creating businesses and often working from home. The new American sells advertising to support blogs and engage in crowd-funding campaigns to raise capital for projects.

In short, the New American Dream is more about finding happiness and sustaining the planet than about achieving financial prosperity – although we are happy to accept prosperity if it finds us. Personal satisfaction is more important than keeping up with the Joneses, and making time for oneself – to work out, go to a concert, read a book, post to a blog or create a work of art – is more important than putting in overtime at the office.

Is the American Dream alive? You bet. And you can discover it at FreedomFest July 8-11.

Sweet dreams!

Jo Ann Skousen is founding director of the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival and co-producer of FreedomFest: Freedomfest.com

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